Tag Archives: inclusion

Below is a message to the College community from Dr. Sofia Ramos, PCC’s Interim Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, following the tragedy in Charlottesville, Va., over the weekend.

Dear Colleagues,

As we prepare for the upcoming school year and the return of our students to campus, our thoughts are with the families affected by the tragic events that unfolded in Charlottesville, Virginia, and all of us who bear witness.

Pima Community College stands firm in embracing our rich differences in identity, religion, heritage and ability as cornerstones of excellence. We remain committed to engaging our entire community in weaving diversity and inclusion into our institutional fabric and beyond.

While national events bring pain and threaten to divide us, with the support of Chancellor Lambert and Provost Durán-Cerda, Pima will continue to build community and encourage acceptance and understanding around civility, diversity and inclusion topics through periodic gatherings in a series called Inclusion Matters.

Every day is an opportunity to spread kindness, goodness and to honor our unique identities, cultures, traditions and history. We look forward to the start of the new year and to working together as a community to create positive change.

March 10 also was the inaugural Ethnic, Gender and Transborder Studies summit. More than 300 students, community members and employees gathered for a morning of scholarship and idea-sharing. The afternoon was spent discussing ways to create a Center of Excellence devoted to diversity, inclusion and social justice.

I am extremely proud of the event’s organizers, who have applied the Center of Excellence concept in a way that will make us a leader among community colleges. Moreover, the center has the capacity to give students a physical space devoted to data-based scholarship, alliance-building, and advocacy for the historically marginalized. Or, as one student eloquently put it, the center will be a place for “inspiring humans.”

The key point to remember is that while the College worked with our accreditor, we have been developing an array of forward-looking initiatives that go far beyond compliance. Meeting regulatory standards is of course an important foundational activity, but it’s only one of a range of efforts we are undertaking to achieve a greater end – becoming a premier community college.

On Oct. 20, I had the great pleasure of making introductory remarks at the College’s inaugural Raquel Rubio Goldsmith Lecture in Ethnic, Gender and Global Studies, featuring Dr. Rosalva Aída Hernández Castillo.

Dr. Hernández is a noted Mexican cultural anthropologist. She spoke on “Multiple Injustices: Indigenous Women, Law and Political Struggle.” An intellectual and activist, Dr. Hernández shared profound perspectives on how social justice, gender equity, human rights and race intersect globally.

Following the lecture, Dr. Hernández, along with Ethnic Studies scholar Rubio Goldsmith, engaged in a lively discussion with students and the social activists, educators, intellectuals and human rights defenders in the audience. It was pointed out during the community discussion that our region’s great diversity connects to environmental, political and economic issues that extend far past our borders in ever-changing ways.

The event was a huge success, filling the lecture room and overflow rooms at Downtown Campus. Major leaders of our community were present, including Dr. Anna O’Leary, head of the Department of Mexican American Studies at the University of Arizona, and Isabel García, who for decades has been at the forefront of immigrant and refugee rights.

The lecture series is the brainchild of our rising program in Ethnic, Gender and Global Studies. As an instrument for social justice, PCC is committed to diversity, inclusion and equity, and a robust, multifaceted program in Ethnic, Gender and Global Studies is critical to honoring our commitment.

The essential goal of the College’s initiatives in this area is individual empowerment. I shared that one in three people are affected by domestic violence within his or her lifetime in the U.S., and that 3 million children between ages 3-17 are at risk of exposure to domestic violence each year. I shared these statistics to drive home the point that achieving success is crucial for the College and the community.

My thanks go to everybody who helped pull this wonderful event together. Provost Dolores Durán-Cerda, Ethnic Studies faculty members Francisca James Hernandez, Rosalia Solorzano and their colleagues are to be commended, as are President David Doré and the team at Downtown Campus; support coordinator Yolanda Gonzales; and the Marketing, Web Systems, and Media Production teams at District Office.

As Dr. Hernandez’s research shows, communities such as ours are microcosms of global diversity and thus demand we develop new visions of “diversity within diversity” as we work for social justice. Ethnic, Gender and Global Studies are essential to understanding our history and setting the groundwork for a better future for all.

Earlier this week I encouraged College employees to provide insights regarding the preliminary draft of the College’s Diversity Plan. The draft is available for feedback on the PCC Diversity web page through Oct. 12. I invite you to comment on a document that will map PCC’s future direction in this essential area.

The draft Diversity Plan outlines the philosophical underpinnings of our effort, and recommends goals and activities to fulfill our mission: to provide affordable, comprehensive education opportunities supporting student success, and to meet the needs of the multiple constituencies we serve.

Your comments, questions and concerns will inform a document that will have a profound impact for years to come. As I have said, a commitment to diversity will benefit all students and employees, and enhance the economic and cultural vitality of our region.

The sentiments and goals embodied in our plan are poignant, in light of the horrific shooting in Orlando, Fla., over the weekend. Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims, survivors, their family and friends, and to the city of Orlando.

As a school, we are limited in our ability to fight terror and hatred. But we can fight ignorance, and we can foster respect and civility by vigorously encouraging diversity and inclusion. This weekend’s atrocity has made the importance of our endeavors in these areas evermore clear.

In December 2015, I wrote to the College community regarding our commitment to diversity and inclusion. Recently, some states have considered or enacted legislation that undermines anti-discrimination protections for the LGBTQ community. Thus, it is timely and appropriate to reiterate our ongoing pledge to live up to the College Value of People. Our Diversity Statement proclaims in part:

We cherish the diversity of our community and, in addition to equal opportunity and educational access for all, we respect and are inclusive of all beliefs, values, abilities, personal experiences and preferences, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, and worldviews. We believe our differences are our strength and a source of innovation, excellence, and competitiveness. [More information is available on our Diversity webpage.]

PCC is committed to adhering to all federal, state and local laws and regulations regarding institutions of higher education. Among these is the U.S. Department of Education’s Title IX statute, which protects students from discrimination on the basis of gender in education programs or activities that receive federal support.

Apart from laws and regulations, the College considers it a moral imperative to make our campuses places where all students, employees and community members feel secure and welcome, so they can focus on studies and activities that lead to student success. Together we remain resolved to move forward on the path leading to a multicultural society built on a foundation of civility, equity and social justice.

I am excited to share Pima’s progress on internationalization. Under the leadership of Dr. Ricardo Castro-Salazar, Acting Vice President for International Development, and the tremendous support of our faculty, staff and community, Pima has laid the groundwork for a revived international program.

It is becoming increasingly obvious that in the 21st century, the world’s political, economic and environmental challenges cannot be solved by one country, and must be met by a multinational, cross-cultural response. I am proud to say that PCC is meeting that challenge, as the information below clearly demonstrates.

Pima Community College International Development

February 17, 2016

We have a Strategic Plan for Internationalization with seven strategic goals and 70 objectives. The plan was the work of a Task Force of 84 people that not only had district-wide representation (faculty, staff and administrators), but also community members, foreign representatives in our community, representatives from the Mayor’s Office, County Government, and students.

Created the American Institute of Language and Culture at Pima (AILAC). Will offer the first ESL package for int’l students in Summer 2016. This will also help our local enrollments

We have worked with the Tucson City Government and the Pima County Administrator to align our int’l objectives for Pima County’s economic development

PCC offers 132 courses with “Global” and “Cultural Diversity” content. Nevertheless, despite the guidelines and recommendations from the HLC, AACC, ACCT, and others, PCC did not have a comprehensive global education plan before Chancellor Lambert.

Francisca James Hernandez has represented the College at the Generation Study Abroad Summit and directs the development of Faculty-Led Study Abroad initiatives.

One of our goals in PCC’s Diversity Plan is to “Increase global diversity and inclusion.” And one of our SLOs across all disciplines is to “appreciate cultural and global diversity” (PCC, Monitoring Report on the Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes to the HLC, 2013).

Growing, modestly, but continually in the midst of an overall College enrollment decline.

Spring 2016: A total of 207 int’l students from 41 countries, compared to 202 in Spring 2015. We have enrolled 37 new F-1 students. Concurrent & Other Visa types declined, but we enrolled more F1s than in Spring 2015.

Fall 2015: A total of 262 int’l students from 34 countries, compared to 246 in Fall 2014. We enrolled 53 new F-1 students. Fall enrollments include 59 J-1s Bécalos Program Participants in 2015 and 48 in 2014.

Summer 2015: A total of 143 int’l students from 38 countries, compared to 96 in Summer 2014. This included 42 J-1 visa holders from 3 educational contracts.

Spring 2015: A total of 202 int’l students, including 25 new F-1 visa holders.

PCC is the only community college designated as a J-1 sponsoring institution in AZ

In Fall 2014, in recognition of PCC’s participation in the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Initiative, the US State Department and the US Embassy in Mexico sponsored J-1 visas for 49 international students attending PCC.

In March 2015, PCC regained federal approval to sponsor J-1 visas. Between the summer and fall 2015, PCC enrolled an additional 98 students on J-1 visas.

International educational contracts have helped local enrollments

A positive multiplying effect on overall enrollments. Classes where int’l students have enrolled have become more cost effective, or even feasible (avoiding cancellations). Furthermore, the classes added to our schedule for our international contracts have given our local students a number of additional options. These classes include: CIS121, CIS162, CIS281, MKT125, MKT139, DAR103, DAR176, TEC123, TEC123 LB, TEC225, TEC225 LB, TEC250, and TEC250LB.

Our ESL Program also has benefitted from our international contracts and our ESL Faculty have received additional teaching contracts for the following courses: ENG260, ESL098T6, ESL098T7, ESL080GR, ESL085GR, LA079EI, and LA089EI.

Restoring our relationship with Mexico has helped our int’l and local enrollments

We have won two grants ($180,000.00) from the Mexican Government and the private organization Together We Can/Juntos Podemos. With these funds, we have provided 149 scholarships to deserving students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. These enrollments are very impactful because they help those who need the most support in our community. Some of our scholarship holders literally could not enroll without these resources.